The Tallahassee Police Department was established in 1841 and is the third- oldest municipal police department in the country. The department is also the third-longest nationally accredited law enforcement agency and in 2017 was awarded Advanced Meritorious Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). As an Advanced Meritorious Accreditation agency, the Tallahassee Police Department represents an extraordinary example of excellence in public safety, and it is recognized nationally as a model agency for current and potential CALEA applicants.

The Office of the Chief includes the chief of police, deputy chiefs, chief of staff, and legal advisor, with the deputy chiefs overseeing the functions assigned to each bureau. The chief of staff reports directly to the chief of police and is responsible for Financial Management, including Grants and Supply, the Accreditation and Inspection Unit, and the Internal Affairs Unit. The chief of staff is also responsible for any special projects and assignments which come out of the chief’s office.

The Patrol Bureau utilizes a zone-based patrol concept consistent with the community-oriented policing (COP) philosophy. Patrol personnel are assigned to a geographical zone to become more familiar with the residents who live and work in the area and the activities that typically occur. This encourages more interaction between officers and residents and allows officers to focus on crime prevention and enforcement activities unique to their zone. The Community Relations Unit includes liaison officers and COP squads that supplement the efforts of patrol personnel through a focus on identified criminal activity based on real-time intelligence information. The Operational Support Bureau consists of the traffic and airport units, downtown officers, and K-9 units.

The Support Branch includes Criminal Investigations and High-Risk Offenders Bureaus. The Criminal Investigations Bureau comprises Property and Persons Crimes and includes the department’s Victim Advocate and Forensics Units. Also included are Crime Analysis and Criminal Intelligence Units, responsible for analyzing crime trends and developing focused criminal offender intelligence information. This information is utilized with operational personnel through the department’s CompStat program. The High-rRisk Offenders Bureau comprises the Special Investigations Unit that focuses on drug crimes, the Career Criminal Unit, which focuses on fugitive apprehension, and the Violent Crime Response Team, which addresses violent crime throughout the community.

The Internal/External Branch includes Internal/External Affairs, the Public Information Office, and Administrative Services. The Internal/External Bureau consists of Training and Development, Special Events, Reserve Officer Program, School Crossing Guard Program, Community Relations, and the Cadet Program. The Administrative Service Bureau includes Employee Resources, Records, Fleet, Property and Evidence, Building Services, switchboard operators, and Background and Recruiting. The Public Information Bureau is responsible for communications and marketing for the department.

The Tallahassee Police Department operates a Tactical Apprehension and Control (TAC) team, including entry, sniper, negotiator, bomb, and logistics teams. This team handles high-risk incidents, including search warrants, hostage rescue, barricades, and other high-risk incidents. The department also includes the special response team (SRT), which responds to crowd issues, including riots and protests.

FY23

•The Tallahassee Police Department will continue to provide outstanding services to the community at their current staffing level.

FY24-27

The current collective bargaining agreement between the City and Police Benevolent Association will expire at the end of FY23. A new agreement will affect personnel costs for future years.

Tallahassee Police Department

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